Category: Society

Web by Joe WilcoxApr 17, 20101:21 pm

Next Task for Health-Care Reform: Abolish Gene Patents

As a science geek, college biology major (decades ago) and pragmatist, I am appalled that any person or company is granted patents over genes. It’s simply unconscionable to grant ownership over laws of nature, which allowance defies centuries of sound legal prudence. If the Obama Administration and 111th Congress want to do some more meaningful health-care reform, abolishing gene patents would be the right place to start.

There is something so oddly together about where genes started and where they are today. In February 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson uncovered “the secret of life” when identifying the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, more widely known as DNA. Their pioneering work later led to the Human Genome Project, which when completed in 2003 identified “the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,” according to official information.

Music by Joe WilcoxApr 14, 20107:55 am

Leave Your Sleep, and Let Your Copyrights Go

On New Music Tuesday, Natalie Merchant returned, with album “Leave Your Sleep”; her first in seven years. The amazing, 26-song collection indirectly comments on the value of public domain.

Apple by Joe WilcoxApr 9, 20106:37 pm

I was gouged by the Macalope and Lived

I am not the most popular journalist among the so-called Mac faithful. I’ve written some tough stuff about Apple over the years, and most of my analyses proved right long after my public lynchings. One of my posts from summer 2009 set off John Gruber, aka “Daring Fireball.” The blog post was a personal challenge to Apple chief executive Steve Jobs to return to work and do well.

Apple by Joe WilcoxApr 8, 20109:45 pm

A Mashable Post Mortem

Yesterday, I raked Mashable’s Ben Parr for his assertion that Apple’s then yet unannounced mobile advertising platform posed a credible threat to Google. Now that Apple has announced iAd, and seeing how Ben’s rumor reporting was right about it coming, I circle back for a postmortem. Simply stated: I stand by my assertion that his sourcing was weak and that he didn’t support bold assertions that Apple’s still unreleased mobile ad platform is way ahead Google’s.

Apple by Joe WilcoxApr 7, 20101:02 pm

Mashable’s Apple Ad Platform Claims are Mush

Who spiked Ben Parr’s coffee with Apple “reality distortion field” Kool-Aid? The Mashable co-editor is gushing about Apple’s rumored mobile advertising platform and how it poses a credible threat to Google. Based on what? Among his other talents, Ben writes science fiction. Perhaps he confuses fact with fiction? Did he have a flashforward, another scifi concept, and see the future?

Society by Joe WilcoxApr 6, 20108:02 pm

Did ’24’ Help Elect a President?

It’s a question I’ve pondered for some time, and I’m inclined to answer affirmative. The subliminal cultural impact of television is too easily overlooked, although the New York Times took a politically charged look in March 26 story “For ‘24,’ Terror Fight (and Series) Nears End“. The Times’ perspective is different than one I present here, but worth noting for what’s there and what is not.

Apple by Joe WilcoxApr 1, 20109:52 am

The Most Natural User Interface is You

It’s April Fools’ Day, and I’m not joking. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun, by comparing and contrasting Apple old with Apple new. 🙂 Last night I posted to Betanews: “What 1984 Macintosh marketing reveals about iPad,” which is based in part on my April 2006 post “When Magazines Mattered,” about Apple buying all the ad pages—39 of them—in the Newsweek 1984 election issue. Magazines mattered to Apple for promoting Macintosh during its launch year. Now iPad matters to magazines, for which some publishers hope to turnaround sagging readership (and ad revenues). Ha, who’s paying whom now?

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 22, 20106:09 pm

The Difference Between Blogging and Journalism

For the most part, blogging is not journalism. That’s my response to the longstanding debate about whether bloggers are journalists. Bloggers who don’t apply good standards of journalism shouldn’t be offered the same privileges as journalists. Similarly, journalists who fail to apply the same good standards should be stripped of privileges and prestige.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMar 4, 20106:53 pm

Desktop PCs are What?

In three years time, desktops will be irrelevant. In Japan, most research is done today on smartphones, not PCs. John Herlihy I believe five years. But three is definitely possible. As I explained in June 21, […]

Gear by Joe WilcoxMar 3, 20102:23 pm

Why the PC Era Is Over

My smartphone changed my life. Serious. It has my calendar, all my contacts and is an easy and intuitive communication tool. Danielle Warby

Web by Joe WilcoxMar 2, 20102:52 pm

State of the Internet

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/9641036] Jesse Thomas’ “The State of the Internet” video is chock full of data, data, data. You want Net stats, Jesse has got them: Percentage of e-mail that is spam, number of Facebook […]

The Arts by Joe WilcoxMar 1, 20107:00 pm

Ted’s Birthday Bash

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EjuEx95u3Y] Those rascals at Improv Everywhere are at it again, this time picking a random person in a bar and throwing him a birthday party. Chris is suddenly Ted, with 30 so-called friends […]